Box



Dec. 14, 1937. w. TROGMAN A 2,102,497

BOX

Filed June 8, 1956 Wil/121m hyman INVENTOR.

A H15 ATTORNEY. f

` 25 rea'dv forcarrying;

l Patented Dec. 14,1937

im'nsiir OFFICE noxK y William Trogman,0hicago,lll. Application .mnes, 1936,- serial No.' 34.083v

1. s claims. y(ci. 229-52) This invention relates to boxes, and more particularly to boxes and cartons fabricatedfrom iibrous materials such as cardboard and the like.

Among other objects of`the invention are the provision of a novel box of increased utility and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is thevpro-y vision of a box having integrally formed latching means for readily securing a closure memberto the body of the box. i l

vStill lanother object is the provision, inrboxes `or cartons having a box portion and topportion,

of integrally formed latching' meansto` secure the top to the box, and an improved handle arrangement facilitating the assembly of the box for use.

Other novel objects and provisions ofthe invention will appear in view of thefollowing `dey tailed description, together with the drawing, in which: l

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel box in open position; f f t 1 v Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the'box of Fig. 1 in closed condition, `with the handleextended Fig. 3 isy a fragmentary verticalsection .along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, showing particularly a section of the latching means; t

o Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail partly insectlom and taken along the line 44of Fig. 3;' i

l Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan detail of the;latching tabs before'folding; f f

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan detail of the latching or receiving slots; and f Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of the handle and handle-engaging slot provided in the box.

The generally indicated box I0 in Fig. 1 may be formedpreferably from cardboard or similar `brous material l by any suitable means ,well known in the box `making art, andcomprises a box or body portion Al2 havingupstanding wall portions I4, I4', l5 and l5', and a top or closure member I6 having walls I8, Iii'andv I9,fthe topv o being preferably formed integrally with the botl tom member l2 by suitably folding or creasing t I prefer to form my improved latching means` tabs, and are extended in substantially parallel 20 inthe free longitudinal edge I8' of the wall Il of the" top i6 of the box. l This latchlng means comprises a tab 22, which may be extended laterally from the edge |48 of the wall i8 (Fig. 5).

In this latch tab are' provided t'wo'dvergently ex- 5 tensive wing portions and 26 havlngrfree edge portions' 24' and 26', respectively, these edge portions being extended in the embodiment shown substantially parallel to the edge |784in the side wall I8 of the top.

l Ina the manufacture of the box it is .desirable to crease portions of the latching tabs 20 along the portions indicated by the dotted lines 23, 23' in Fig. 5. This facilitates the iiexingof the wing portions 24 and- 26 in' latching the box. l5

Also provided in the tabs 22 are small fly tabs 28, adapted to be hinged along the crease-line 23' fand engaged forA the manipulation of the latching means in the-operation thereof. I These ily tabs, as well as the wing portions 24 and 26, are provided inthe manufacture of the box by well` known methods, which requireslmply cutting the fibrous material of the box along the marginal extremities of the desired configuration.

Formed in'. the bottom wall I2' of the box l0 are latch-receiving slots 30 and 30 (Fig. 6). These slots may be spaced apart a distance cor`y responding substantially to the distance between the foldor crease-lines 23 and 23' in the latching 0 direction to the frontlongitudinal edge I4" yof the wall I2' and spaced from said edge I4" at a distance corresponding respectively tothe distances ofthe crease-lines 23 and '23', belowthe s edge la'. n 35 To facilitate the vinsertion of the tabs, 20 into the slots'30 andy30', the latter are provided at their extremities with re-entrant curved or lhooked portions 32 whichresult in the provision of relatively exlble iiap portions 34,` 34' the 40 latter being readily exed or depressed to permit In Fig. 7 is illustrated the simple manner in 50 o which a handle means 36 may be applied to the box. The handle36 may be a generally U-shaped wire or the like, having' divergently extended `end portions 38, and is adapted to be readily applied to or removed from the box in an elongated slot 55 l when the longitudinal lips sufliclently to permit the handle to pass through 40 having at its extremities enlarged portions42 whereby the handle portion 36' of thehandle 36 may be inserted through the slot 40, the longi the wall I8.

The needle as 1e designed te nt, freely inte tneenlarged terminal portions 42 oi' the'slot 40, and box is in closed upright position, asin Fig. 2, the handle will tend to drop by its own weight. so that the handle portion 36'V thereof rests against the top lI8 .of the box. When the box is in closed condition, the handle 36 is prevented from falling or being pushed through the slot 40 by the tongue fitted into the groove .40 to underlie the handle, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.- -Thus the handle 36, in its depressed condition as Just described, may readily be grasped position.

In the embodiment shown, for the purposes of illustration, the handle 36 has been applied in the uppermost side wall I4 ofthe box. In this arrangement it is desirable to provide in the side Wall I8 of the top I6, lateral slots 44 separated by.

the tongue portion 46, adapted tobe inserted in the longitudinal slot 40 when the box is closed, the upright or side portions 36'.' of the handle 36 fitting into the slots 44 as the top is advanced to closed position. V

In the embodiment shown, the outermost marsins of the'slots 44 lateral edges of the tabs 20; and to facilitate the formation and flexing of the tab wings 26, the

lateral margins or extremities of tabs 2li have been cut angularly between crease or .hinge lines 23, 23 therein. 1

In operation, beginning with the box in the open condition of Fig. 1, the top or closure portion I6 of the box may be folded upon the bottom portion I2 thereof, and assuming the handle 36 to have been previously applied in slot 40, the tongue portion`46 in the side wall I 8 of top I 6 may be slidably inserted into the groove 40, whereupon the tab portion 20 may be folded over toward.

the bottom wall I2 and by grasping the fly tab 23 the latch wing 24 may be flexed slightly inwardly, toward the wall I2' and the latching slot 30, to be inserted in the latter.

After the latch wing 24 has been suitably inserted in the slot 30, the wing 26 may be further flexed inwardly toward and into the latching slot 30', whereupon the wing portion 26 will tend to assume a position in the plane substantially parallelj with that of the wall I2'.

In this condition the box is securely closed and it will be observed by reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that the latch members 20 are prevented from moving in a vertical direction by the-confrontation of the tabs in the region of the crease-line 23 with the longitudinal margins of the upper slots 30. Similarly, any downward vertical movement of the latching tabs 20 is prevented by a confrontation ofthe portion of tab 26 in the region of its crease-line 23 with the longitudinal in carrying posi vfrom the wall )will serve to remove 46 which is at this timei and raised to carryingv are extended to provide the- `for and having handle vbight portion thereof .handle means in the form of an elongated edge 26' of the Ilatching slot. Additionally, the protruding ny tabs 23 provide further security against movement in this latter direction.

It' will thus be apparent that any attempt to raise the cover portion I6' of the box, when the latching tabs 20 are secured as above described, will be prevented by the binding effect of these tabs against the longitudinal edge of the box between the walls I2' and I4 thereof.

- However, ,the`box may be readily opened by grasping the ily tabs 23 and pulling them away I2' and adding a slightly upward bias to the direction of pull in so doing.V This the lower latch wing 26 from the lower latching slot 30. whereupon a further upward pull on the ily tab. 23 andl an additional bias, tending to pull-the latch member 20 back upon itself along the crease-line 23, will remove the. uppermostlatching wing 24 from the upper latch slot 30. y

'I'heforegoing detailed description of the latching andunlatching operation is very quickly and conveniently effected, andrequires no previous familiarity with the device, which is adapted by its inherent construction to immediately suggest themethod of operation.

'Although I nd itconvenient to manufacture my improved box in the general form shown in Fig. 1, fit will be readily understood that this y'structure may be easilymodifled to make the' top and bottom members I2 and I6 separate in the usual form, without the c'ommon -wall I4', duplicating the latching tab structure 20-30 in this (14') side of the box to provide securing means desirable in the absence of the common wall I4'.

While I have described in detail for purposes of f illustration a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be restricted to the precise details recited, but desire to avail myself of all variations and'modiflcations of the invention coming within' the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters `Patentis:

1. A cardboard box including a closure theremeans including the provision in a wall of the box of an elongated.l slot, andan elongated-handle of U-shape 'withfthe elongated extremities of the U diverged and the passed 'through said slot, with the said diverged portions vengaging an undersurface of the box to limit the movement of said handle therethrough, and'said closure having a tab portion adapted to t into said slot when the same is in closed relation with the box in a manner effectively closing said slot and preventing passage of the bight portion of the handle therethrough. 2. A box of fibrous material including a main box portion and a-cover receivable thereon, and slot cut in a Wall portion of said box member, and a U-shaped handle having its bight portion passed through said slot from the interior of the box and having diverged extremities adapted to limit the outward movement of the handle, said cover portion having a tab receivable in said slot when the box is closed toprevent passage of the handle back into the box.

3. A cardboard box and cover portion receivable thereon,` and handle means for the box in the formy of a U-shaped wire having its free ends turned outwardly in opposite directions and having its main or bight portion passed through an "I turned-out extremities'adapted to bear against the inner surface of the box and vvlimit the out-y ,Y ward movement of the handle therefrom, said cover having a portion adapted to overlie ythe y)aforesaid wall portion of the box in which the cut is formed and a portion adapted to extend into said out when said box is closed so as to reinforce said wall portion in the region of said v cut and' prevent movement of the handle back into the box. i

4. A box of cardboard or the like and including a cover portion and a handle structure in the form of an elongated slot having enlarged cut-away 4portions at'its extremities and formed in a wall V portion of the box, together with a U-shaped i i* the outward movement of the handle in the p 25,v

same, and the side portions of the U-shaped handle adjoining the bight or bottom portion thereof tting freely in said enlarged end portions of the slot, said cover having a tongue' adapted to slide -into said slot between rthe side portions of the handle when the box is closed.

l5. A box of cardboard or the likeincluding a main box member and a cover receivable on the same, said cover having a pair of latching tabs extended from the edge of the wall of the cover and arranged to `fold onto a wall of said main box portion for latching engagement therewith, and to be secured to the latter by tongue and slot engagement, said box having handle means in the form of a U-shaped handle having its end portions diverged, the bight portion thereof being `passed `through an elongated slot formed in a wall of said main box under the aforesaid wall of., the cover with saiddiverged portions pretgenting the removal of said handle outwardly from therslot, and said vcover having a tab portion formed between said latching tabs and adapted to iltv into said slot so as to prevent removal of thehandle inwardly through the slot, said latching tabs being adapted to hold the wall portion of the cover from which'they extend down against the underlying wall ,portion of the main box through which saidhandle is extended and thus reinforce thebox structure in the region of the t handle. v

6. A cardboard box and telescoping cover therefor, and including a U-shaped handle member passed through an elongated slot in an end `wall of the ybox and having outwardly extending end portions adapted to limit the movement of the handle through the slot, and said cover having a tongue adapted to slide into the slot between the sides of the handle when the vbox is closed, and further having a latch tab positioned at each end of said tongueandhandle and adapted for tongue and slot latching engagement with the box to latch the `cover in place and reinforce the rbox structure in the region of said handle.

74. A b ox having a cover with a wall portion adapted to overlie a surface of the box, said sur-A face having a slit formed therein and a handle loop passed outwardly therethrough and having end formations engageable with the inner surface of the box adjacent said slit to limit outward movement ofthe handle, the aforementioned overlying wall of the cover having latch-tab means engageable with latch formations in a wall of said box adjoiningthe wall in which the slit is formed, said overlying cover wall further having a tongue-like formation insertible into said slit when the box is closed.

8. A box structure including a main box member and a cover portion receivable thereon and provided with a wall portion adapted to overlie a particular wall portion Vof the main box when in. closed relation with the latter, together with vhandle means forsaid box including a. handle loop, the bight of which is inserted through a slot to be'folded onto a 'wall portion of said main box adjoining said particular wall portion thereof `when said cover is in closed position, said tabs having means for latching engagement with said adjoining wall portion. 1

` WILLIAM TROGMAN. 

